Two unknowns from Labour party have been making the headlines, Jeremy Corbyn as the front runner for the Labour leadership and Lord Sewel for his sex and drugs sting by the Sun newspaper. Jeremy Corbyn, who is from the political left, has proved surprisingly popular in the face of the usual insidious propaganda from the biased right-wing media. Am I cynical in wondering about the timely distraction of the supposed Lord Sewel scandal from the popularity of Jeremy Corbyn’s left-wing politics?
The left-wing of politics has come in for such a drubbing by the press. It is enough to have one believe that the current Tory Government won by a landslide, instead of just 12 seats. The unpopularity of left-wing politics is so rife that even liberal intellectuals considered Jeremy Corbyn a step too far. So ‘surprise surprise’ Jeremy Corbyn has actually gathered the support of the voters from across the political spectrum.
A deeper consideration of his position shows how in touch Jeremy Corbyn is with public opinion when compared with results from the YouGov polls. His position on renationalisation of the railways is supported by 60% of people across party lines, with only 20% opposing it. In order to reduce the housing benefit bill Jeremy Corbyn suggests rent controls. Something that has been ‘pooh poohed’ centrally and by the political right. Yet the YouGov polls show that only 6.8% of people are opposed to rent control. Jeremy Corbyn over the last couple of weeks has been a runaway success irrespective of negative press.
Until Labour Peer Lord Sewel was ‘busted’ in a tangerine bra, allegedly snorting coke in the company of two young female prostitutes. How else would a 69 year old man get two younger women to have sex with him unless they were paid? The Sun, in blatant disregard of the Leveson Inquiry [1], set up the sting knocking Corbyn from the headlines and column inches. I am confident that Lord Sewel is not the only peer of the Realm indulging in unseemly behavior. Usually it is Tory peers making such headlines.
Call me a sceptic but the titillating exposure of a Labour Peer at this time seemed too convenient. I am not sure the ploy, if there was one, worked. There is a long uniquely British history of titillating political scandals. From John Profumo’s affair with a 19 year old girl in the 1960’s to Stephen Milligan apparently self-strangled body found with a Satsuma in his mouth in the 90’s. It is all too passé.
There are great many people who are comfortably off, upwardly mobile and believe in fairness and social justice. Jeremy Corbyn gives those voices a direction once again. His position is a well thought out and cogent one. He removes the vanilla from politics by injecting a real alternative to the right-wing nuances expressed by Conservatives and New Labour. Perhaps, he can defeat the Tory 12 seat majority, which really is not that big a lead at all. Every Labour leader in my lifetime has been ridiculed and lambasted by most of the press, (save Tony Blair even though the press eventually turned on him). It would be a loss for democracy and society if right-wing bias succeeded in ridiculing and distorting Corbyn’s message too.
Imjussayin
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[1] The inquiry condemned covert surveillance found that Newspapers have recklessly pursued sensational stories.
